'Our safe haven': Community rallies behind Pinellas County Job Corps center

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) — The fight to save the Pinellas County Job Corps continues in St. Petersburg.

Last week, the U.S. Department of Labor paused operations at Job Corps centers nationwide.

Since then, St. Pete City Council member Corey Givens Jr. said there’s been some changes.

“A federal judge has issued a temporary injunction just saying we will put a pause on the closure of Job Corps until June 30, but after June 30 there’s lots of unknowns and uncertainties,” he said.

Why do those unknowns matter? Meet 18-year-old Eamonee George.

“I got here when I was 17,” George said. “I was almost homeless.”

“I wasn’t trying to live anymore,” she continued. “I was ready to disappear all the way.”

But eight months later, George said, she’s now turned her life around thanks to Job Corps.

“I’m leaving now with my diploma,” she said. “My pharmacy technician license, better ways to express the way that I feel, and a job.”

At the end of the day, George said, she wants the world to know what’s at stake.

“A lot of us are one step away from going to jail, one step away from smoking the wrong thing and dying,” she said. “This place is our safe haven.”

“It’s literally helping us,” George continued. “We have no future, for real, without Job Corps.”

News Channel 8 reporter Nicole Rogers asked council member Givens, “What is your biggest worry for the city of St. Pete?”

“My biggest worry and my biggest concern is that we’re going to have a big empty space right here on the deuces,” he responded. “There’s going to be a gap in services in training.”

“There’s going to be a gap in housing,” Givens continued.